5 very good reasons to holiday in Skopelos

Katie Burnetts explains why you should take a chance on the Greek Island for your next getaway (ABBA pun intended)

Nov 27, 2015

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1 It's untouched by tourism's mucky hand Skopelos is a Greek island in the Western Aegean Sea. Now I know what you're thinking. It ends in '-os' so it must be one of those post-GCSE, hormone-fueled nightmare towns where sunburned tourists pick up tattoos they'll regret for life... but actually it is quite the opposite. On this beautiful, mountainous island, it is still, fortunately, just locals, a seafront of stunning restaurants, and there ain't a tattoo parlour in site. It feels totally untouched by tourism's mucky hand (aside from a blockbuster movie, more of which later).

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2 There are 18 beaches! If you will, imagine an island shaped like a saxophone, with over 18 beaches (!). The main port is a comprehensive strip of kiosks and restaurants serving ice cream, gyros, pizzas and seafood pastas, and behind it a tiered glomerulus of neighbourhoods; graduating up into the mountains, showcasing a nightly display of artisan-owned shops and diminutive, family-owned restaurants. Skopelos is one of several islands which comprise the Northern Sporades island group. So there we go.

3 There are loads of good places to stay The island is full of hotels and Airbnbs. The hotel we stayed at was called Thea Home, a family-run place with a stunning terrace overlooking the whole island. The rooms were modest, no frills, but it's still very highly recommended and the reason for that becomes clear as you step out onto the hotel terrace. It really has the wow factor, with a panoramic view of the town and surrounding ocean. Lit up at night, with special little touches here and there to make you feel at home, you could quite easily spend a Saturday night here without venturing into town. The hotel manager, Giorgos, is a lovely chap and very welcoming indeed.

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Or you could stay at a stunning airbnb , run by a sweet lady named Elenis. Her beautiful house is set back off the main road in its own little corner, sprawling with olive trees and boasting its own private swimming pool. A fabulous host, Elenis provides guests with delicious homemade marmalade, and is on call (literally next door) to answer any questions night or day. One of the best bonuses of Elenis' house is its proximity to one of the most beautiful beaches on this island, "Stafilos".

4 The food is mighty fine It's not a fancy fine dining sort of place, but the gyros (Greek meat dish) are exceedingly yum along the strip, Mixos does amazing Greek pies stuffed with cheese for under 10 euros but Molos was our favourite, where we enjoyed a delicious grilled octopus and white wine for under 20 euros. The beach restaurants at Stafilos and Limnonari serve up high quality seafood dishes and burgers too.

5 And finally, it's where Mamma Mia was filmed Remember the smash hit movie waaaay back? The one with Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Julie Walters and Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper getting married, all with an ABBA soundtrack? Well, most of that was actually filmed on Skopelos and it really is just as pretty as it appears in the movie (we watched it again to make sure!). Def go and find the church from the film (Agios Ioannis Kastri) , which is set on a cliff with 100 steps to reach it and jaw-dropping views.

Go there: The best way is to get there is to fly with Olympic holidays, who do return charter flights to neighbouring island Skiathos, once a week. Once you get to Skiathos , put your bag down, grab a beer, then wait for your ferry to arrive. It's a short (60-minute) ride - which you can book at Direct Ferries - and only costs 13 euros per ticket. Otherwise, you can fly to Thessaloniki or Athens and catch a connection, then catch the ferry. Sounds confusing - is a bit - but like I said, well worth it when you're on the back of a ped with the wind whipping you round the face like a scorned lover. Fly there with Olympic Air.

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